Field of the Invention: This invention relates generally to a semiconductor device assembly including a semiconductor die and leadframe. More particularly, the invention pertains to a leadframe with a mounting paddle to which a semiconductor die is bonded and with a plurality of leads of the leadframe connected to the bond pads on the die by wire bonding.
State of the Art: In the manufacture of semiconductor device assemblies, a single semiconductor die is most commonly incorporated into each sealed package. Many different package styles are used, including dual inline packages (DIP), zig-zag inline packages (ZIP), small outline J-bends (SOJ), thin small outline packages (TSOP), plastic leaded chip carriers (PLCC), small outline integrated circuits (SOIC), plastic quad flat packs (PQFP), and interdigitated leadframes (IDF). Some semiconductor device assemblies are connected to a substrate, such as a circuit board, prior to encapsulation.
The assembly of a semiconductor device and a leadframe and die ordinarily includes bonding of the die to a paddle of the leadframe, and wire bonding bond pads on the die to inner leads, i.e. lead fingers, of the leadframe. The inner leads, semiconductor die, and bond wires are then encapsulated, and extraneous parts of the leadframe excised.
In drawing FIG. 1, an exemplary PRIOR ART leadframe strip 10 is shown. The leadframe strip 10 comprises a thin metal foil. The leadframe strip 10 is configured for the mounting of a plurality of semiconductor dice, one on each die mount paddle 12. The leadframe strip 10 also includes parallel spaced side rails 14, 16 formed with a pattern of registry holes 18 for handling by automatic machinery. In addition, the leadframe strip 10 includes an arrangement of inner leads 20 configured for attachment to the bond pads of a semiconductor die during a wire bonding step. Outer leads 22 will become the external leads of the completed semiconductor device package for connection to, e.g., a circuit board. The leads 20, 22 are connected to the side rails 14, 16 by dam bars 24, and supported thereby. As shown, each of the die mount paddles 12 is connected to each of the side rails 14, 16 by a paddle support bar 26, 28, respectively, extending transversely with respect to the centerline 30 of the leadframe strip 10.
In an alternative arrangement, not shown, the paddle support bars 26, 28 extend parallel to centerline 30 from the die mount paddles 12 to dam bars 24 for support of the die mount paddles.
In forming a semiconductor device package, semiconductor dice are typically bonded to the paddles of the leadframe strip with an adhesive polymer, such as epoxy or a thermoplastic, with soft solder, or with a gold-silicon eutectic layer. Generally, each die mount paddle is slightly larger than the attached semiconductor die. The conductive bond pads of the semiconductor die are then wire bonded to the inner leads surrounding the semiconductor die, generally by the use of the well-known thermocompression bonding method, but sometimes by thermosonic or ultrasonic bonding methods.
During semiconductor die attach and wire bonding, the inner leads are typically clamped against a lower heater block or other flat member. The bonding tool itself is configured to compress the wire against the surface to which the wire is being bonded, i.e., a bond pad or inner lead. Examples of such are found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,600,138 of Hill, U.S. Pat. No. 4,030,657 of Scheffer, U.S. Pat. No. 4,603,803 of Chan et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,778,097 of Hauser, U.S. Pat. No. 5,148,959 of Cain et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,217,154 of Elwood et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,503 of Perlberg et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,445,306 of Huddleston. It has generally been found, however, that auxiliary clamping apparatus may improve the quality of xe2x80x9csecond bondingxe2x80x9d, i.e., bonding of the wire to the inner leads.
Each inner lead being wire bonded may be clamped while being wire bonded only, or all leads may be simultaneously clamped.
Commercial wire bonding machines typically have an upper clamp member which includes a window for access to the semiconductor die, die paddle and inner end portions of the inner leads. The xe2x80x9cframexe2x80x9d of the window acts as a narrow clamp which simultaneously holds down the inner leads surrounding the semiconductor die against the heater block. Alternatively, clamps are inserted through a window to hold the inner leads against the heater block. These xe2x80x9cwindowxe2x80x9d types of clamping arrangements are exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 3,685,137 of Gardiner, U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,034 of Cotney, U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,207 of Fogal et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,972 of Hayashi et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,765,531, 5,238,174 and 5,307,978 of Ricketson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,082,165 of Ishizuka, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,264,002 of Egashira et al.
Various other types of prior art clamping apparatus and methods of clamping an inner lead or bond pad against a flat lower member are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,361,261 of Elles et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,434,347 of Kurtz et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,978,835 of Luijtjes et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,193,733 of You, U.S. Pat. No. 5,197,652 of Yamazaki, U.S. Pat. No. 4,821,945 of Chase et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,528 of Ball et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,566,207 of Adams shows a leadframe in which the paddle support bars are clamped by xe2x80x9cpointxe2x80x9d clamps.
A major source of package rejection is wire bond failure. Such failure has been attributed to overheating, underheating, chemical contamination, surface roughness, surface voids, oxide formation, presence of moisture, inadequate lead clamping, and other suspected causes.
While a wire bond xe2x80x9cno-stickxe2x80x9d may sometimes be detected and reworked on the spot, wire bond defects often do not become apparent until subsequent testing, or after the device has been encapsulated and/or has been in use. At this stage, the unit cost of the device itself is maximal. In addition, repair of a defective device may not be feasible.
On occasion, the die-to-paddle bond fails and may result in, e.g., shorting within the packaged device, wire bond breakage, loss of heat dissipation capability, and/or incomplete sealing of the package.
Even a relatively low frequency of defects in the wire bonds and in die-to-paddle bonds is extremely costly to the semiconductor industry.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a semiconductor device wherein the frequency of wire bond failures and die-to-paddle bond failures is reduced, the frequency of required wire bond rework is reduced, and the manufacturing cost is reduced.
It has been generally assumed in the industry that the die mount paddle does not move during down-bonding of the semiconductor die, or during subsequent wire bonding. However, it has been discovered that significant movement sometimes may exist, and this movement contributes to poor semiconductor die-to-paddle bonding and can be a major cause of the observed failure, i.e., immediate xe2x80x9cno-stickxe2x80x9d or subsequent debonding of the wire bonds from the bond pads of the semiconductor die and/or from the metal inner leads.
In accordance with the invention, the pattern of paddle and leads on the leadframe is configured to provide a paddle with clampable tabs extending therefrom. The tabs extend outwardly from areas of the paddle which are otherwise largely unsupported or farthest from the paddle support bars. These tabs may be formed on the sides of the paddle along which there are few, if any, bond pads. Alternatively, the tabs may be on the same sides as the paddle support bars, particularly when the paddle support bars on the sides have few, if any, bond pads. Typically, the tabs are positioned on the long dimensions of the paddle. When the leadframe is clamped for die attach and wire bonding, a clamp member such as a circumscribing xe2x80x9cwindow framexe2x80x9d simultaneously clamps the inner leads, paddle support bars and paddle tabs against a lower clamp member which may be a heater block. The paddle is thus more extensively supported and is much more resistant to flexing, bending, and lifting away from the lower clamp member during the bonding operations.